First year tips

by JS

Mar 24, 2010

It still doesn't feel real, but I have a secured a position as an elementary library media specialist for the 10/11 school year. I am finishing my masters this summer with library certification. I have spent 8 fantastic years in the classroom but those of you with classroom experience know that none of your course work could truly prepare you for that first day in your very own classroom. I am feeling this way about the library. I am looking for experts to give me one piece of advice for that first day, week and year in the library. Thank you so much. I am very eager to begin this new adventure in my career. Thanks!

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Booklady Jamie, You need to post this question as a new topic, not as a rely to "First Year Tips". Many of us only check the topics we have an interest for or have the time to reply about.

I will only add that you may want to see what the local school district require for being a LMS in your area. Some districts only use "aides" in Elementary libra...See MoreJamie, You need to post this question as a new topic, not as a rely to "First Year Tips". Many of us only check the topics we have an interest for or have the time to reply about.

I will only add that you may want to see what the local school district require for being a LMS in your area. Some districts only use "aides" in Elementary libraries and you are paid by the hour-- usually $8-11 and often for only 35 hrs a week.

Budget cuts in my local market are seeing certified library staff cut or replaced with support positions.

Good luck.

On 4/06/10, Jamie wrote: > Hello, I have a question maybe you could answer. I have my B.A in > Art Education and I just got my NYS Initial Certification in > September in Art Ed. As much as I love art I am having a very, > very difficult time finding a Teaching Job. I was considering > gettting my M.A in Library Science but would like to know more > about it before i do. Did you like the M.A program? I have a > disorder called "dyscalcua" and can not do anything that has > math. It sounds silly but it is a problem for me. Does the M.A > program require any of this? Also, to be a School Media > Specialist/ Librarian is there studnet teaching or any kind of > internship i need to do?? I am expecting my baby in a coulple > months and would like to know what I am in for. Also, how is the > job market?? How long has it taken you to find a position?? One > more question. I have my BA in Art Ed. WOuld having an MA in > library Science satisfy the requirement for a Master's Degree?? > Sorry to bombard you or anyone with all these questions but I > have not been able to get much information on any of this. Any > feed back would be very, very apprieciated. Thanks a million. > n 3/27/10, BeenThere wrote: >> Congratulations and Good Luck on your career move! Like you, >> I taught for several years and had a very good experience >> teaching but I have enjoyed being an LMS even more. It is not >> like the classroom, be prepared for that. You will find >> yourself suddenly on the other side of the fence from the >> teachers, something I was unprepared for and that caught me >> off guard. You will see the worst of them rise to the top. >> My number one problem every year is teachers who for whatever >> reason don't want their students to read certain books. Maybe >> because of AR level, lack of AR test, or their own outdated, >> disproven, and often harmful opinions about reading. This is >> a constant battle you will have to fight and my advice is be >> ready for it because it will hit the first time you let a kid >> check out a Captain Underpants book or something else the >> teacher doesn't think the child should have. >> >> >> On 3/24/10, JS wrote: >>> It still doesn't feel real, but I have a secured a position >>> as an elementary library media specialist for the 10/11 >>> school year. I am finishing my masters this summer with >>> library certification. I have spent 8 fantastic years in >>> the classroom but those of you with classroom experience >>> know that none of your course work could truly prepare you >>> for that first day in your very own classroom. I am >>> feeling this way about the library. I am looking for >>> experts to give me one piece of advice for that first day, >>> week and year in the library. Thank you so much. I am >>> very eager to begin this new adventure in my career. Thanks!

Apr 11, 2010

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Leah You may find the following article helpful

Jul 19, 2010

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Leah View scenes from the series of ten DVDs by clicking below:

Aug 22, 2010

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Marlene On 4/06/10, Jamie wrote: > On 3/27/10, BeenThere wrote: >> Congratulations and Good Luck on your career move! Like you, >> I taught for several years and had a very good experience >> teaching but I have enjoyed being an LMS even more. It is not >> like the classroom, be prepared for that. You will find >> yourself ...See More

Sep 6, 2010

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Media Lady Organization is key! Everything in the Media Center has to be organized so that you can put your hand right on it. Make sure you have folders for yourself in the back that pertain to different subjects like Budget(School Media Account/ Book Fair Money),Reading Programs (Book It, Six Flag 6 Hour Reading etc),News(if you got your school in the newspa...See MoreOrganization is key! Everything in the Media Center has to be organized so that you can put your hand right on it. Make sure you have folders for yourself in the back that pertain to different subjects like Budget(School Media Account/ Book Fair Money),Reading Programs (Book It, Six Flag 6 Hour Reading etc),News(if you got your school in the newspaper), Lesson Plans and Class Schedule, Passwords, Numbers and Address.

Then you need folders or shelves dedicated to the other people that use the library like: return library card forms, reading program logs, permissions slips, passes, or grade level related material. It's all about Organization.

When teachers, adminsitrators, students or your assistant come in you need to know immediately where it is. You can group things however you like or you can place things on a shelf or in a folder. Just make sure that you start grouping things and paperwork and keeping up with them.

Next, get a grasp on your TRUE repsonsiblities. Do you have lunch duty, hall duty, a fixed schedule,tutoring, school broadcasting, laminating, muffins for moms, inventory for equipment, ordering books, planning the Book Fair? What are your real duties not the ones that they told you about in school.

Once you figure that out then plot out a map detailing how you plan to attack them. What order will they come in?

Will the book fair be in September because the school fundraiser starts in October? Do you want to start doing your book ordering in October to give the teachers a chance to get settled or do you want to do that in August before they get overburdned with other things.

Do you want to tape your broadcast in the afternoon and then show it in the morning. Are you going to laminate everyday in the morning or only on Tues and Thurs in the afternoon. Plot it out in the beginning before people start bombarding you with questions and request.

Come up with Policies and Procedures How often can they check out -once a week, every two weeks How many books can each grade level checkout Should the children stand in line while waiting for books or can they sit? Just make rules about what is desired of their behavior in the Media Center.

CheckOut Rules This gets a seperate section from above because it is such a big deal especially in elementary. How would you like them to check out, small groups, one at a time, whole class, during their lesson time or seperate from their lesson time. Let them know this early on. Also, when can they start checking out. This is the most asked question at the beginning of the year.

Come up with Orientation Orientation can include a short run down of your services and rules for checkout or a mini lesson on reerence skills, such as how to use a dictinoary, encyclopedia. You can talk this out or use a powerpoint or overhead projector, some people have a video they show.

Come up with a schedule (this gets tricky) Set up some set classes with like Kindergarten that you know will come. This will help with making the Media Center look relevant. Then you can try to get some collaborations with other teachers (this is hard as nails to achieve)don't beat yourself up if you cannot get very many. Often times the "collaborations" that MS speak of are really preplanned lessons by the Media Specialist alone that they have just had the teacher co sign. Most often the teacher wasn't even present to witness it.

I find that for your first week, what helps most teachings

>>> On 3/24/10, JS wrote: >>>> It still doesn't feel real, but I have a secured a position >>>> as an elementary library media specialist for the 10/11 >>>> school year. I am finishing my masters this summer with >>>> library certification. I have spent 8 fantastic years in >>>> the classroom but those of you with classroom experience >>>> know that none of your course work could truly prepare you >>>> for that first day in your very own classroom. I am >>>> feeling this way about the library. I am looking for >>>> experts to give me one piece of advice for that first day, >>>> week and year in the library. Thank you so much. I am >>>> very eager to begin this new adventure in my career. Thanks!

Nov 6, 2010

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